NIOS

NIOS Board, India

National Institute of Open Schooling

NIOS is an autonomous organization, established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), government of India in the year 1989; based on the National Education Policy. The organization was accomplished with a main objective of fostering educational standards in the distance education and open school schemes in India.

The planned, systematic functioning of this system has enabled more than 1 million students to experience education from 2004 to 2009 at secondary and senior secondary levels. This system has rendered its hand in helping the students, who are undergoing education through home schooling; it helps the students to prove their credibility via its accredited, quality examinations, which are certified equally to the 10th and 12th board examinations. It is not a system, which is found under haste; it comprises of well planned departments and courses with standard curriculum and examination schemes. Through its schemes of programs, it provides the elementary education to school drop-outs; out of school learners and neo literates. It has got various departments/units to aid its operations, successfully; such as, academic; vocational; student support services; administration; evaluation… The detailed portrayal of its various education schemes are listed as follows:

Secondary Course

This course is equivalent to the 10th standard in its quality of education. The students would be allowed to choose the subjects, as in the normal board education system; however basic five subjects would be mandatory.

Senior Secondary Course

This course would be equivalent to the 12th standard. This allows the students, who have passed 10th from any recognized board to continue education to the senior secondary level, which is equivalent to the 12th standard certification.

Open Basic Education (OBE)

It offers preliminary education, which is equivalent to the formal school educational system and it offers education at three levels: Level A, equivalent to class.3; Level B, equivalent to class.5; Level C, equivalent to class.8.

Vocational

Under this scheme, certificate and diploma courses are offered in open schooling education to any individual, who is 21 years of age and above; anyhow, a minimum, prior open schooling experience would be required to appear to this program. It comprises three levels of certifications, such as, Certificate in Open Schooling (COS); Advance Certificate in Open Schooling (ACOS); and Diploma in Open Schooling (DOS). This program is offered to anybody; not only within the country, but also at the international level, provided the individual has obtained a graduate degree. This scheme covers more than 83 courses in various areas in a broad way, which includes agriculture; engineering and technology; home science and hospitality management, etc.

Life Enrichment Courses

Under this, the NIOS conducts some enhancement programs, such as, ‘Women Empowerment’; ‘Yoga’; ‘Hindustani Music’, etc. No examinations are conducted for such programs; however certificate courses are available, as a means of knowledge credibility.

The NIOS is also collaborating with the international organizations like, UNESCO and Commonwealth of Learning (COL) for its mission of education promotional activities in the country. The great efforts taken by the Indian government in constituting institutions like NIOS, which is distinct in its mission of making education possible to almost, all the citizens, who would rather be denied of the normal school education for many reasons in the country, is really commendable! I would definitely take my hat off to NIOS for fulfilling the dreams of longing desires on education!